GM authorisation in Europe is "Trojan horse"

posted by Laura Rayner | June 13, 2014

Alyn Smith, SNP MEP and member of the European Parliament's Agriculture Committee, has criticised the decision of EU environment ministers to approve proposals for a new scheme for the authorisation of genetically-modified organisms.

Alyn said:

"I do not deny that there is a real need to reform the EU's GMO authorisation process: the current situation in which authorisations proceed in spite of the consistent opposition of a majority of EU member states in Council is not sustainable.

"However, this is not the answer. This compromise is simply a Trojan horse which risks opening the door to genetically-modified organisms across Europe, in spite of massive public opposition.

"The partial renationalisation of competences on GM cultivation, proposed by the Commission and endorsed by EU environment ministers, is a totally flawed approach and there are major legal uncertainties attached to it. There are concerns that the suggested opt-outs would not be legally sound and there is also the very real danger of cross-contamination of crops, with the myriad of issues this poses.

"The EU must respect the precautionary principle and take account of the consistent and vocal public opposition to this technology."